Video Highlights by Tanner Acebo, Multimedia Specialist

NORTHFIELD, Vt. – Four members of the Norwich University women's basketball team reached double-digit figures in point scoring on Tuesday, lifting the Cadets to a 61-48 victory over visiting Johnson State College. The Cadets improve to 4-3 on the year while the Badgers dip to 2-4. 

Seniors Heather LeBlanc (Sanford, Maine) and Kayla Mercer (New Britain, Conn.) tied for the team lead in scoring with 14 points while the former led the way with eight rebounds and four assists. Junior Arianna Harrison (Vernon, Vt.) scored 13 points while leading the team with three steals while Shyann Josler (Thetford Center, Vt.) equaled her classmate with 13 points. 

Offense was limited in the first half for both teams as Norwich made only six field goals (6-for-24, 25%) and the Badgers made only five of their 23 shots across the first 20 minutes. Johnson State scored the first basket of the game, but the Cadets captured the lead for good despite only leading at halftime by a 20-11 score. 

The Norwich offense clicked in the second half and grew the lead to 21 total points with 1:13 to go in the third stanza. Across the final 20 minutes, Norwich shot nearly 50% (12-for-25) and made 14-of-18 shots from the charity stripe. In the second half alone, Mercer scored 10 of her team's 41 points while connecting on two shots from distance. 

Despite a 21-point deficit, Johnson State captured some momentum with a Kaitlyn Brouard triple with only 13 seconds left in the third quarter. A trey from Sarah Voorhis with only 3:14 to go in regulation time cut the Norwich lead to 48-40, but sophomore Naomi Rinaldo (Middlefield, Conn.), Mercer, Josler and LeBlanc combined to make 10-straight free throws to recreate a sizeable 58-43 lead with 1:07 to go. 

The Badgers were paced by Voorhis and her 15 points and 12 rebounds. Domonique Carter-Stanley matched Voorhis with 15 points while Kasey DeGreenia assisted four baskets and pulled down seven rebounds across 30 minutes of action. 

The Cadets will play two more games before the winter break, traveling to Mount Ida on Saturday, Dec. 10 for a 1 p.m. Great Northeast Athletic Conference showdown before a 7:30 p.m. non-league showdown with Castleton on Tuesday, Dec. 13 in Andrews Hall.